Systems and methods for steam reheat in power plants

ABSTRACT

Steam generators in power plants exchange energy from a primary medium to a secondary medium for energy extraction. Steam generators include one or more primary conduits and one or more secondary conduits. The conduits do not intermix the mediums and may thus discriminate among different fluid sources and destinations. One conduit may boil feedwater while another reheats steam for use in lower and higher-pressure turbines, respectively. Valves and other selectors divert steam and/or water into the steam generator or to other turbines or the environment for load balancing and other operational characteristics. Conduits circulate around an interior perimeter of the steam generator immersed in the primary medium and may have different cross-sections, radii, and internal structures depending on contained. A water conduit may have less flow area and a tighter coil radius. A steam conduit may include a swirler and rivulet stopper to intermix water in any steam flow.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 to, and is acontinuation of, U.S. application Ser. No. 16/914,418 filed Jun. 28,2020, which is a continuation of International ApplicationPCT/US2018/050318, filed Sep. 11, 2018 and designating the US, whichclaims priority to application Ser. No. 15/857,532, filed Dec. 28, 2017,such Applications also being priority to under 35 U.S.C. § 120. Theseapplications are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

BACKGROUND

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of primary and secondary heattransfer medium loops in a relevant power plant for electricitygeneration. As seen in FIG. 1 , a heat source 1 generates energy that istransmitted to a heat transfer medium. Heat source 1 may be a coal-firedboiler or pressure vessel, light water nuclear reactor, liquid sodiumfast reactor, etc. The heat transfer medium flows in a primary loopthrough source 1 including hot leg or outlet 2 and cold leg or feed 3between source 1 and heat exchanger 10. In the example of exchanger 10being a steam generator for a light water reactor, water may be heatedin reactor 1 through fission and driven into pipes forming outlet 2,then passed into steam generator as heat exchanger 10. In this example,cooled feedwater from an exit of exchanger 10 may be pumped by mainfeedwater pumps back into reactor 1 via feed 3 to repeat the cycle.

A secondary heat transfer medium loop is formed by feed or heatexchanger inlet 13 and outlet 12 flowing through heat exchanger 10.Energy from the primary loop is transferred to the secondary loop inheat exchanger 10. In the example of a steam generator as heat exchanger10, condensed feedwater is pumped from a condenser or other sourcethrough inlet 13, converted to steam transferred from the heat of theprimary loop in the steam generator, and then fed to outlet 12 to powerturbines or other uses. Condensed or otherwise cooled heat transfermedium may be provided to inlet 13 from the turbines via a condenserejecting excess heat to a heat sink such as a lake or river.

One or more turbines may extract energy from the heat transfer mediumexiting heat exchanger 10 via outlet 12. For example, many plants usestaged turbines in series, such as intermediate pressure turbine 30 andlow pressure turbine 40 to successively extract energy from the heattransfer fluid and drive generator 50. High pressure turbine 20 may alsobe used with intermediate and lower pressure turbines 30 and 40 in theinstance that a saturated fluid from outlet 12 can undergo multipleefficient extractions in each turbine 20, 30, 40. Although not shown,the heat transfer medium finally exiting each turbine may be passedthrough the condenser or other heat sink and provided back in the loopvia inlet 13.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are illustrations of related art liquid sodium steamgenerators 10 useable as heat exchangers in the system of FIG. 1 .Sodium or other liquid metals and salts may be used as a primary loopheat exchange fluid in fast reactors, while water/steam may be providedin the secondary loop for electricity generation. As seen in FIG. 2A,high-temperature sodium enters a top of steam generator 10 via sodiumoutlet 2 coming from the reactor, and lower-temperature sodium exits abottom of steam generator 10 to inlet 3 returning to the reactor. Watermay take an opposite route, flowing as condensed liquid into a bottom ofsteam generator inlet 13 and out as saturated or superheated steam fromsteam generator outlet 12 at a top of steam generator 10.

As seen in FIG. 2B, inside steam generator 10 several channels 31 maydivide the incoming liquid water into several, potentially over ahundred, different individual flows from inlet 13 into a same number ofheat exchange tubes 32. The liquid water flows straight up through heatexchange tubes 32 and boils as it absorbs heat from liquid sodiumpassing downward inside body 11 around tubes 32 in steam generator 10.Tubes 32 are uniform to ensure even heat transfer and ease fabricationand replacement through uniform design. The liquid sodium isconcomitantly cooled as it passes downward in body 11 over heat exchangetubes 32 and ultimately exits steam generator 10 as cooler liquidsodium. The steam exits outlet 12 to power one or more turbines.

SUMMARY

Example embodiment heat exchangers and power plants using the sametransfer energy from a primary heat source and heat exchange fluid, likea coal-fired boiler, pressurized water reactor, fast sodium reactor,etc., to a secondary heat exchange fluid from which energy is extracted,such as by a turbine being driven by steam. The heat exchanger may be asteam generator when the secondary heat exchange fluid is water, and itincludes one or more primary conduits for the primary heat exchangefluid and one or more secondary conduits for the secondary heat exchangefluid(s). The conduits may be completely separated so the fluids do notintermix, with distinct inlets and outlets useable in separate primaryloops and secondary loops. The secondary conduits may thus discriminateamong different fluid sources and destinations. For example, if one ofthe secondary conduits takes in feedwater from a condenser orenvironmental source, another of the secondary conduits may take insteam from a turbine outlet or other source. The water may be boiled tosuperheated steam in the first conduit, and the steam reheated to dryeror higher quality steam in the second conduit and then dispatched tosame or distinct turbines, such as a higher pressure turbine and aturbine with a lower operating pressure, respectively. In addition toselective connections for different types of fluids in the secondaryconduits, plants may use valves and other selectors to divert, indesired volumes or amounts, steam and/or water into the steam generatoror to other turbines or the environment for load balancing.

The secondary conduits are a coiled or helix shape around an interiorperimeter of the steam generator immersed in the primary heat exchangefluid and may be specially configured based on fluid source ordestination. For example, a conduit taking in water for boiling may haveonly half the flow area as a conduit taking in steam for reheating.Similarly, a conduit carrying steam for reheat may include a fixedswirler on its interior perimeter to better mix in any two-phase flow ora rivulet stopper extending inward in a centripetal direction to breakup or redirect water rivulets to a hot exterior surface. Or, forexample, two conduits may be axially overlapping or nested, with theconduit carrying water for boiling having a smaller radius of curvatureto be more central in the steam generator than a steam conduit forreheating steam having a larger radius of curvature.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Example embodiments will become more apparent by describing, in detail,the attached drawings, wherein like elements are represented by likereference numerals, which are given by way of illustration only and thusdo not limit the terms which they depict.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a related art power plant.

FIG. 2A is an exterior profile view of a related art steam generator.

FIG. 2B is an interior cross-sectional view of the related art steamgenerator of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3A is a bottom cross-sectional view of an example embodiment steamgenerator.

FIG. 3B is a profile cross-sectional view of the example embodimentsteam generator of FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4A is a profile cross-sectional view of an example embodiment steamgenerator.

FIG. 4B is a detail view of the example embodiment steam generator ofFIG. 4A.

FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional profile view of a heat exchange tube ofFIG. 4B.

FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional axial view of the heat exchange tube ofFIG. 5A.

FIGS. 6A-D are cross-sectional axial views of a heat exchange tube atprogressive axial positions.

FIG. 7 is a perspective exterior view of the example embodiment steamgenerator of FIGS. 3-4 .

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of an example embodiment power plant usingan example embodiment steam generator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Because this is a patent document, general, broad rules of constructionshould be applied when reading it. Everything described and shown inthis document is an example of subject matter falling within the scopeof the claims, appended below. Any specific structural and functionaldetails disclosed herein are merely for purposes of describing how tomake and use examples. Several different embodiments and methods notspecifically disclosed herein may fall within the claim scope; as such,the claims may be embodied in many alternate forms and should not beconstrued as limited to only examples set forth herein.

It will be understood that, although the ordinal terms “first,”“second,” etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, theseelements should not be limited to any order by these terms. These termsare used only to distinguish one element from another; where there are“second” or higher ordinals, there merely must be that many number ofelements, without necessarily any difference or other relationship. Forexample, a first element could be termed a second element, and,similarly, a second element could be termed a first element, withoutdeparting from the scope of example embodiments or methods. As usedherein, the term “and/or” includes all combinations of one or more ofthe associated listed items. The use of “etc.” is defined as “et cetera”and indicates the inclusion of all other elements belonging to the samegroup of the preceding items, in any “and/or” combination(s).

It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being“connected,” “coupled,” “mated,” “attached,” “fixed,” etc. to anotherelement, it can be directly connected to the other element, orintervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element isreferred to as being “directly connected,” “directly coupled,” etc. toanother element, there are no intervening elements present. Other wordsused to describe the relationship between elements should be interpretedin a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent”versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). Similarly, a term such as“communicatively connected” includes all variations of informationexchange and routing between two electronic devices, includingintermediary devices, networks, etc., connected wirelessly or not.

As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended toinclude both the singular and plural forms, unless the languageexplicitly indicates otherwise. Indefinite articles like “a” and “an”introduce or refer to any modified term, both previously-introduced andnot, while definite articles like “the” refer to the samepreviously-introduced term. It will be further understood that the terms“comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and/or “including,” when usedherein, specify the presence of stated features, characteristics, steps,operations, elements, and/or components, but do not themselves precludethe presence or addition of one or more other features, characteristics,steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

The structures and operations discussed below may occur out of the orderdescribed and/or noted in the figures. For example, two operationsand/or figures shown in succession may in fact be executed concurrentlyor may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon thefunctionality/acts involved. Similarly, individual operations withinexample methods described below may be executed repetitively,individually or sequentially, to provide looping or other series ofoperations aside from single operations described below. It should bepresumed that any embodiment or method having features and functionalitydescribed below, in any workable combination, falls within the scope ofexample embodiments.

The Inventors have recognized that typical steam generators accommodatea single type of input or secondary fluid for heating, usually heated,condensed water to boil to saturated or superheated steam, using heatfrom a primary fluid. For this purpose, interior heat transfer tubes 32(FIG. 2B) are identical and interchangeable such that each tube mayreceive the same type of fluid and heat it in a similar manner from anyother tube. With a single type of secondary fluid input for the steamgenerator, the Inventors have recognized there is no opportunity to useprimary heat for other types inputs, such as reheating lower pressuresteam back up to high quality or superheated steam for energyextraction. Instead, these other types of steam in the secondary loopare fed to progressively lower-pressure turbines. Lower pressureturbines, like turbine 40, used prior to condensation for steam that hasalready been through one or more higher pressure turbines, are generallyless cost effective due to lower energy extraction and frequent damageto turbine blades caused by condensation occurring in lower pressuresteam. This inefficiency, combined with a single path from generator toprogressively lower-pressure-generator for the secondary fluid,typically requires several expensive lower pressure turbines 40 toderive sufficient energy from the large amount of lower pressure steam.To overcome these problems as well as others, the Inventors havedeveloped example embodiments and methods described below to addressthese and other problems recognized by the Inventors with uniquesolutions enabled by example embodiments.

The present invention is steam generators and power production systemsusing steam generators and methods of using the same. In contrast to thepresent invention, the few example embodiments and example methodsdiscussed below illustrate just a subset of the variety of differentconfigurations that can be used as and/or in connection with the presentinvention.

FIG. 3A is a bottom cross-sectional view of an example embodiment steamgenerator 100 useable in a power generation plant. For example,generator 100 may be installed with a high-temperature fast reactorhaving a liquid metal or molten salt coolant, including a PRISMsodium-cooled reactor. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, example embodimentsteam generator 100 may have an exterior shape and size comparable withtypical steam generators and heat exchangers, and may directly replace,for example, relevant steam generator 10 (FIGS. 2A & 2B). Exampleembodiment steam generator 100 includes several inlets 2 (FIG. 7 ),potentially at a top end of exterior body 111, including primary coolantinlets 2. For example, the primary inlets may connect to a liquid metalsource such as a reactor, in the same configuration as shown by sodiumoutlets 2 from FIGS. 2A and 2B connecting to steam generator 10.Similarly, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, example embodiment steamgenerator includes outlets 3, potentially at a bottom end of exteriorbody 111 opposite the inlets forming feed 3 (FIGS. 2A and 2B) returningto a reactor or other heat source. A heat exchange fluid, such as liquidsodium or a molten salt, may flow from the inlets to the outlets insidebody 111, and example embodiment steam generator 100 may be useable toreplace steam generators in typical primary coolant loops of heatgenerating sources, including reactors.

Example embodiment steam generator 100 includes water inlet 13 similarto inlet 13 from FIGS. 2A and 2B, where condensed water may entergenerator 100, potentially at a bottom end of body 111. Multiple waterchannels 133 divide flow from inlet 13 into several, potentially aboutone hundred, different flows, each in one channel 133. Once divided,channels 133 flow into first heat exchange tubes 134 that ascend intosteam generator 100 and allow a hot primary coolant, such as liquidsodium, to flow down around heat exchange tubes 134 in an oppositedirection. Although only a single water inlet 13 with water channels 133is shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, it is understood that several differentinlets may be spaced about steam generator 100.

As seen in FIG. 4A, first heat exchange tubes 134 may be in a helical orcoil shape about a central axis of steam generator 100. Tubes 134 mayoccupy a central portion of steam generator 100, where temperature ofcounter-flowing primary coolant may be hottest, and a radius ofcurvature of the helix may be tightest, imparting greatest centrifugalmotion to the liquid water. First heat exchange tubes 134 may have arelatively smaller cross-sectional flow path than tubes 132 (describedbelow), but may be larger than tubes 32 (FIG. 2B), because the coiledarrangement will force liquid water to outside tube walls and enhanceheat transfer. For example, first heat exchanger tubes 134 may beapproximately 30 millimeters to 50 millimeters in diameter.

After travelling up through first heat exchange tubes 134, liquid waterfrom inlet 13 may be superheated steam, having absorbed significantenergy from a primary coolant, such as liquid sodium, pressurized water,etc. flowing around heat exchange tubes 134. At another end of body 111of steam generator 100, the high-quality steam exits one or more outlet12, similar to outlets 12 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B useable in severaldifferent types of plants, for delivery to a high-pressure steam turbineand generator. For example, three outlets 12 may be used in combinationwith three inlets 13 for superheated steam and liquid water,respectively.

As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, example embodiment steam generator 100includes a steam inlet 113 where lower-pressure or lower-quality steam,such as steam already passed through one or more turbines, may entergenerator 100 in parallel with liquid water into water inlet 13.Multiple steam channels 131 divide flow from inlet 113 into several,potentially a hundred or more, different flows, each in one steamchannel 131. Once divided, steam channels 131 flow into second heatexchange tubes 132 that ascend into steam generator 100 and allow a hotprimary coolant, such as liquid sodium, molten salt, etc. to flow downaround second heat exchange tubes 132 in an opposite direction. Althoughonly a single steam inlet 113 with steam channels 131 is shown in FIGS.3A and 3B, it is understood that several different inlets may be spacedabout steam generator 100. At another end of body 111 of steam generator100, the reheated steam exits one or more outlets 112 (FIG. 7 ) useablein several different types of plants, for delivery an intermediate orhigher-pressure steam turbine and generator. For example, three outlets112 may be used in combination with three inlets 113 for reheated steamand low-pressure steam, respectively.

As seen in FIG. 4A, second heat exchange tubes 132 may be in a helicalor coil shape about a central axis of steam generator 100. Second heatexchange tubes 132 may occupy an outer portion of steam generator 100,where less heat from counter-flowing primary coolant may be required tore-saturate and/or superheat the steam, and a radius of curvature of thehelix may be wider, allowing the faster steam flow to push waterdroplets to hotter edged through centrifugal motion. A radius of secondheat exchange tubes 132 may be larger than that of first heat exchangetubes 134, potentially up to 50 or 100% larger, such as approximately 45to 100 millimeters in diameter, for example, to reduce pressure drop inthe steam and permit higher-pressure steam output. FIG. 4B is a detailillustration of the detail A of FIG. 4A, showing a transition ofchannels 131 into a coiled shape for second heat exchange tubes 132proceeding upward about a center of the steam generator.

Second heat exchange tubes 132 and steam channels 131 may include one ormore features to enhance reheating and drying of a lower-quality steamflowing through the same. As seen in FIGS. 5A and 5B, one or morerivulet stoppers 142 may protrude into each second heat exchange tube132 to stop rivulets of water in the steam flow. For example, rivuletstoppers 142 may be a blunt insert at weld joints 135 in tubes 132protruding up to 15% into the flow path from the outer radius of tubes132. FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional illustration in the axial directiontaken along line B-B′ of FIG. 5A illustrating rivulet stopper 142occupying approximately 15% of the flow area in tube 132 from an outeredge of the same in a coil. Rivulet stoppers 142 in this way break upwater droplets or rivulets or redirect them to a hot surface of tubes132.

As shown in FIGS. 6A-6D, fixed swirlers 141 in one or more steamchannels 131 may impart an internal rotation or swirl to the steamflowing therein. Fixed swirlers 141 may be two thin, welded dividersheets that separate flow area of channels 131 into four flows 1-4, seenin FIGS. 6A-D. Fixed swirlers 141 may have a pitch-to-diameter ratio ofabout 3 to about 6 to drive any water droplets to outside perimeter ofchannels 131 and improve heat transfer and re-evaporation even if lowerquality or under-saturated steam enters steam inlet 113. As seen fromFIG. 6A through 6D as subsequent downstream positions, rotation ofswirlers 141 through axial distance may rotate the distinct flows 1-4through a complete rotation before exiting swirlers 141 in channel 131.In this way, denser water droplets may be centrifugally driven to hotedges of channel 131 out of a two-phase steam flow to improvevaporization and steam quality.

FIG. 7 is a perspective illustration of an exterior of exampleembodiment steam generator 100 showing several inlets and outlets. Asshown in FIG. 7 , example embodiment steam generator 100 may thusreceive secondary coolant from multiple sources, including bothcondensed, liquid water and steam, for example, through inlets 13 and113 and concurrently heat both fluids to higher-quality fluids, such assuperheated steam, for use in appropriate turbines, including moreefficient non-low-pressure turbines. By positioning secondary fluidscapable of absorbing more heat like condensed water in an interiorposition with tighter curvature helix, and fluids that absorb less heatlike low pressure or saturated steam in an exterior position with loosercurvature helix, steam generator 100 may efficiently generate higherquality steam from multiple sources useable in higher-pressure turbines.As seen in FIGS. 3-4 , the helical arrangement may allow the use offewer tubes 132 and 134 overall compared to conventional steam turbines,and such tubes 132 and 134 may be larger in diameter, reducingmanufacturing complexity, costs, and risk of steam tube failure due tofewer tubes.

As shown in FIG. 7 , example embodiment steam generator 100 may includeseveral outlets 12, similar to outlet 12 from FIGS. 2A and 2B, todistribute superheated steam generated from liquid water. Steamgenerator 100 may also include outlets 112 to connect reheated steamgenerated from lower pressure steam to desired destinations, potentiallybased on expected steam type. For example, each outlet 12 and 112 mayconnect to a high pressure turbine or may each connect to a differentturbine. Similarly, outlets may be connected based on expected steamtype or path through generator 100. For example, for every three outlets12 that carry superheated steam produced from liquid condensed water toa high pressure turbine, one outlet 112 may carry potentiallylower-quality or lower-pressure steam to an intermediate or lowerpressure turbine, all from example embodiment steam generator 100.

Example embodiment steam generator 100 may be fabricated of resilientmaterials that are compatible with a nuclear reactor environment, andeven a high-temperature molten salt or liquid metal primary coolant,without substantially changing in physical properties, such as becomingsubstantially radioactive, melting, embrittlement, and/orretaining/adsorbing radioactive particulates. For example, several knownstructural materials, including austenitic stainless steels 304 or 316and martensitic stainless steels 9Cr-1Mo and 2.25Cr-1Mo for use withmolten salts and metals, XM-19, zirconium alloys, nickel alloys, Alloy600, etc. may be chosen for any element of components of exampleembodiment steam generators. Joining structures and directly-touchingelements may be chosen of different and compatible materials to preventfouling.

FIG. 8 is a schematic of an example embodiment power plant having asecondary loop energy generation system 200 that uses an exampleembodiment steam generator 100. In example system 200, steam generator100 may receive both liquid water and lower pressure steam fromdifferent sources and outlet steam to different turbines. For example,as shown in FIG. 8 , several different turbines may be used, includinghigh pressure turbine 20, intermediate pressure turbine 30, and lowerpressure turbine 40, all connected in series with generator 50 or toindividual generators. Each turbine 20, 30, and 40 is configured withvolume, speed, and turbine blade characteristics to best extract energyfrom steam in different pressure ranges. Turbines 20, 30, and 40 mayinclude steam outlets for steam exiting the turbine at lower pressuresthat are no longer useable for energy extraction, and these steam flowsmay supply the next lower-pressure turbine with steam. For example, highpressure turbine 20 may include an outlet for steam to flow intointermediate pressure turbine 30, and intermediate turbine 30 mayinclude an outlet for steam to flow into lower pressure turbine 40.Steam may at any point be cycled to a condenser and condensed to liquidwater for water inlet 13.

Example embodiment steam generator 100 in system 200 is connected to aprimary coolant loop including reactor 1, outlet 2, and feed 3 which maybe a primary liquid sodium loop in a faster reactor that may reachtemperatures up to around 500° C. Steam generator 100 is also connectedto water inlet 13 and lower pressure steam inlet 113 to generatesuperheated, high-pressure, and/or higher-quality steam from these flowsusing the heat from the sodium. For example, three water inlets 13 froma condenser and one steam inlet 113 may flow into steam generator 100,with three steam outlets 12 and one reheat outlet 112 exiting the same.As shown in FIG. 7 , steam generator 100 includes outlets 12 and 112going to different destinations—high pressure turbine 20 andintermediate pressure turbine 30, respectively. For example, reheatedsteam from inlet 113 may be redirected to intermediate turbine 30 fromsteam generator 100 via outlet 112. Water from inlet 13 may beredirected to high pressure turbine 20 from steam generator 100 viaoutlet 12.

In this way, more steam may be put through intermediate pressure turbine40. Reheating steam to higher-quality levels or superheat conditions andextracting energy in a higher pressure turbine is more efficient thansimply passing outlet steam into successively lower-pressure turbines.Thus, example embodiment plant system 200 is seen to have higherefficiency than, for example, the plant of FIG. 1 . Further, fewer lowpressure turbines 40, in favor of more intermediate pressure turbines30, may be required or used in system 200, which may be advantageousgiven the lower efficiency and increased size of lower pressure turbinescompared to high pressure turbine 20 and intermediate pressure turbine30. Similarly, generated or reheated steam from steam generator 100 maybe higher quality and thus “dryer” than steam outlet from high pressureturbine 20 and intermediate pressure turbine 30, providing a betterworking medium that will not degrade turbine blades as quickly.

Several valves in example embodiment system 200 may allow selectivedirection of steam for reheating in example embodiment steam generator100, condensation, or energy extraction in particular turbines. Forexample, as shown in FIG. 8 , a three-way valve 210 may allow steamcoming from high-pressure turbine 20 to be directed to any ofintermediate-pressure turbine 30, inlet 113 to flow into steam generator100, or through a condenser to exit the system and/or potentiallyrecycle back to water inlet 13 following condensation. Similarly, amaster valve 231 on inlet 113 to steam generator 100 may preventreheating of any steam through steam generator 100 should system 200require less energy throughput. In this way, an operator can instantlyand reversibly change the load on each of turbines 20, 30, and 40 aswell as steam generator 100 by changing the level of redirected steam togenerator 100, intermediate pressure turbine 30, and/or the environmentvia the condenser. Such changes do not require changing power outputfrom reactor 1 or other power source, putting less demand on any controlsystem or duty limits for the same.

Example embodiments and methods thus being described, it will beappreciated by one skilled in the art that example embodiments may bevaried and substituted through routine experimentation while stillfalling within the scope of the following claims. For example, althougha sodium primary coolant and water secondary coolant are described,other coolant types and heat sources can be used simply through propermaterial selection and configuration of example embodiments—and fallwithin the scope of the claims. Such variations are not to be regardedas departure from the scope of these claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of using a heat exchanger among multiplesources in a commercial power plant, the method comprising: connecting aheat source heating a primary heat exchange fluid to a primary inlet andprimary outlet of the heat exchanger to allow the primary heat exchangefluid to flow through the heat exchanger from the heat source;connecting a first extractor to a first secondary conduit of the heatexchanger, wherein the first secondary conduit includes a plurality offirst heat exchange tubes configured to carry a secondary heat exchangefluid; and connecting a second extractor to a second secondary conduitof the heat exchanger, wherein the second secondary conduit includes aplurality of second heat exchange tubes configured to carry a secondaryheat exchange fluid, wherein the first heat exchange tubes have adifferent flow area from the second heat exchange tubes.
 2. The methodof claim 1, further comprising: flowing a secondary heat exchange fluidof a first energy through the first secondary conduit; and flowing asecondary heat exchange fluid of a second energy through the secondsecondary conduit, wherein the first energy is substantially higher thanthe second energy.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the secondary heatexchange fluid of the first energy is liquid water, and wherein thesecondary heat exchange fluid of the second energy is steam.
 4. Themethod of claim 3, further comprising: flowing the primary heat exchangefluid through the heat exchanger, wherein the primary heat exchangefluid is a molten salt or metal.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein thefirst extractor is a high-pressure turbine, and wherein the secondextractor is a low-pressure turbine or a condenser.
 6. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the first heat exchange tubes have a first internaldiameter and a first helical curvature, and wherein the second heatexchange tubes have a second internal diameter and a second helicalcurvature distinct from the first internal diameter and the firsthelical curvature.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second internaldiameter is approximately 50% to 100% larger than the first internaldiameter, and wherein the second helical curvature is larger than thefirst helical curvature, and wherein there are at least twice as manyfirst secondary conduits as the second secondary conduit.
 8. The methodof claim 7, wherein the first secondary conduit and the second secondaryconduit are at a same axial level such that the first secondary conduitis more central to the heat exchanger than the second secondary conduit.9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second secondary conduit includesa swirler fixed to an internal wall of the conduit so as to swirl asecondary heat exchange fluid flowing through the second secondaryconduit.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second secondary conduitincludes a rivulet stopper extending inward toward a center of thehelical path so as to break up rivulets in a secondary heat exchangefluid flowing through the second secondary conduit.
 11. A method ofoperating a plant having a heat source, the method comprising: flowing aprimary heat exchange fluid from a heat source to a primary inlet of aheat exchanger and out of a primary outlet of the heat exchanger;flowing a secondary heat exchange fluid of a first energy through afirst secondary conduit of the heat exchanger, wherein the firstsecondary conduit includes a plurality of first heat exchange tubes; andflowing a secondary heat exchange fluid of a second energy through asecond secondary conduit of the heat exchanger, wherein the secondsecondary conduit includes a plurality of second heat exchange tubes,and wherein the first heat exchange tubes have a different flow areafrom the second heat exchange tubes.
 12. The method of claim 11, furthercomprising: operating a nuclear reactor as the heat source, wherein theprimary heat exchange fluid is a molten salt or metal.
 13. The method ofclaim 11, further comprising: flowing the secondary heat exchange fluidto the first secondary conduit from a first extractor; and flowing thesecondary heat exchange fluid to the second secondary conduit from asecond extractor.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the firstextractor is a high-pressure turbine, and wherein the second extractoris a low-pressure turbine or a condenser.
 15. The method of claim 11,wherein the secondary heat exchange fluid of the first energy is liquidwater, and wherein the secondary heat exchange fluid of the secondenergy is steam.
 16. The method of claim 11, wherein the first heatexchange tubes have a first internal diameter and a first helicalcurvature, and wherein the second heat exchange tubes have a secondinternal diameter and a second helical curvature distinct from the firstinternal diameter and the first helical curvature.
 17. The method ofclaim 16, wherein the second internal diameter is approximately 50% to100% larger than the first internal diameter, and wherein the secondhelical curvature is larger than the first helical curvature, andwherein there are at least twice as many first secondary conduits as thesecond secondary conduit.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the firstsecondary conduit and the second secondary conduit are at a same axiallevel such that the first secondary conduit is more central to the heatexchanger than the second secondary conduit.
 19. The method of claim 11,wherein the second secondary conduit includes a swirler fixed to aninternal wall of the conduit so as to swirl a secondary heat exchangefluid flowing through the second secondary conduit.
 20. The method ofclaim 11, wherein the second secondary conduit includes a rivuletstopper extending inward toward a center of the helical path so as tobreak up rivulets in a secondary heat exchange fluid flowing through thesecond secondary conduit.